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Goa:9/11/25:The Rajasthani feature film Whispers of the Mountains, directed by Jigar Nagda and produced by Jitendra Mishra, has been officially selected for the prestigious Indian Panorama section at the 56th International Film Festival of India (IFFI).
The 56th IFFI is scheduled to take place in Panaji, Goa, from November 20 to 28, 2025. The selection is considered a significant milestone for independent and regional Rajasthani cinema, marking a wave of renewal.
This film depicts In the rugged Aravali region of Rajasthan, Tilak, a 40- 40-year-old tea stall owner struggling to make ends meet after losing his wife four years ago. His 12-year-old son, Ragu, a mute and sensitive boy, studies in class 5 and shares an unspoken bond with the surrounding mountains. While Tilak dreams of an economic growth boost by relentless mining, Ragu feels the pain of nature’s destruction. When Ragu is offered a scholarship to a special school in the city, Tilak, fearing loneliness and loss of help at the stall, forbids him from leaving. Ragu reluctantly assists at the stall, growing increasingly disheartened by the sight of the mountains being reduced to rubble for profit.
Their strained relationship takes a devastating turn when Tilak is diagnosed with silicosis, a lung disease caused by prolonged exposure to mining dust. Unable to work, Tilak depends on Ragu to keep the tea stall running. Despite his yearning for a different life, Ragu accepts the harsh reality of his responsibilities. However, his love for the mountains fuels a quiet rebellion. While tending to the stall, he starts planting trees wherever he can, hoping to heal the scars of destruction.
Director Statement
Whisper of Mountains is a deeply personal film, inspired by my time in my ancestral village during the COVID-19 lockdown. Growing up in a metropolitan city, my visits to Udaipur’s Aravali mountains were my escape—until I witnessed their silent disappearance due to relentless mining.
What struck me most was the divide: while mining provided economic survival, it was also causing environmental devastation—drying up groundwater, making farmland infertile, and polluting the air. Yet, because these effects weren’t immediate, they were ignored. This internal conflict—between survival today and sustainability tomorrow—became the soul of my film.
Through the father-son clash in Whispers of the Mountains, I reflect my own struggle between mind and heart. This film is a call to listen—to the whispers of nature, before they are lost forever.
